The NIJ CTP performs product conformity assessment on ballistic-resistant armor to provide confidence in the armor’s performance. This involves initial testing and evaluation of a specific model design combined with surveillance activities of production armor.

Since ballistic-resistant armor performance testing is destructive in nature, it is not possible to test each armor before it is supplied to an end user. Therefore, end users gain confidence from surveillance of manufacturing activities that verifies production armor models are manufactured similarly to the samples provided for initial testing and evaluation.

Applicants may then be authorized by NIJ to mark product models to indicate their compliance status with the applicable scheme (including surveillance).